Unquestionably, grant programs are the centerpiece of the Obama Administration’s $787 Billion “Stimulus Program.” And in implementing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the Administration has called for an unprecedented level of transparency and accountability. And, while much of the current attention is being devoted to showing what organizations are receiving the funds and what they plan to do with it, it won’t be long until another shoe drops—performance!

Against a backdrop in which the federal government goes deeper in debt and lots of media attention is being devoted to “horror stories” where federal funds have been squandered, the Administration is shining a light on performance. It’s asserting that the traditional grant program model where the level of expenditure, the amount of effort, and the condition of the accounting documentation have been used to measure the worthiness of programs isn’t enough. The acid tests of economy, efficiency and program results are being added. But how can grantee organizations demonstrate good program performance while maintaining the kind of financial accountability that federal rules require and that a new team of hard-nosed federal auditors will be looking for?

This audio conference will focus on how federal grant programs are being assessed, what performance measures are being used, and how outcomes can be improved.